Do Michiganders Really Need to Rake Their Leaves?

I don't know about you, but I disdain yard work.

Yard Work in Michigan

There are people out there that absolutely love it, like my mother in law. She has a lush and beautiful front and back yard. Flowers, trees, bushes, fruit, and vegetables everywhere. She has quite the green thumb.

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That's just not me. And I'm not just talking about planting things, I'm taking about mowing the lawn, weeding, raking leaves, and the like. If there's a way that I can get out of it (my husband mows the lawn), I will.

Or even better yet, if it doesn't need to be done, let's skip it!

Michiganders Don't Need to Rake Their Leaves

That's why I'm pretty stoked to learn that the Michigan DNR says I don't have to worry about raking my leaves, and neither do you!

If you'd rather spend your time doing something besides spending hours raking bag after bag of leaves, the Michigan DNR says you don't need to worry about it. Instead, there are some alternatives.

Leave the Leaves

So what if you front yard is full of leaves? Just leaf them be. If it makes you feel better, you can always remind yourself that little critters live there and it's an important part of the ecosystem.

Make Compost From the Leaves

Get yourself a compost bin and make those leaves work for you. No bagging necessary. Just scoop them into the compost bin, and you've got yourself some top notch fertilizer, especially if you like to garden. Better yet, do you have a small vegetable garden? Just rake them directly in and till them come spring time.

Can You Burn Leaves in Michigan?

Unless you live in a community that has a different set of laws regarding leaf burning, it is considered illegal in the state of Michigan "within any Michigan community with a population of 7,500 or more." If you do really need to burn some leaves, you need to obtain a burn permit.